Our Daughters are Finally Important to Them

Posted on May 7, 2015 // 6 Comments

It is a victory for woman hood and womanize in general. Yes my sisters, friends, adopted daughters, grandmothers, aunties and all. We have all won- a small victory, but a victory non-the less. Our Nigerian Senators (some of the men) have finally decided to put marrying 13 year old’s and chasing University undergrads on hold (tongue in cheek). They have finally passed a Bill which is to protect women; by prohibiting female circumcision and stopping harmful widowhood practices.

According to Channels, it will primarily do the following when passed to law

Help eliminate violence in private and public life, provides maximum protection, effective remedies for victims of violence, and punishment of offenders.

Prohibits abandonment of spouse, children and other dependents without sustenance as well as forbids battery and harmful traditional practices.

The bill equally prohibits economic abuse, forced isolation and separation from family and friends, substance attack, depriving persons of their liberty, incest, indecent exposure, among others.

The subject of Female Genital Mutilation (FGM) is particularly important to me. I learnt about the practice at the age of 19, and have always wondered why older women still insisted on practicing it on younger women. Its like women, we are our own worst enemies. A movie on FGM i watched in my African Literature class is forever ingrained in my memory. I had to do a full paper on it, and i remember thinking to myself; this is just crazy. From there my research carried me on to Fistulas. Now whats left for them is to increase the marriage age, so Fistulas will be a thing of the past for the next set of young women. Till then i will continue my support of the fistula foundation.

I am sooo happy based on this bill, its ridiculous. I know it wont start overnight, but making it illegal will save some girls.

Do you have any experiences with FGM? Please share your thoughts on female circumcision.